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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The scheduled main event for tomorrow's UFC on Versus 4 card from Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center is off, as MMAJunkie.com reports that Nate Marquardt is a late scratch just hours before today's weigh-ins.
SBNation.com's Luke Thomas reports that Marquardt has not been "medically cleared," but his camp released a statement stating it's a setback but he'll be looking to return as soon as possible.
"Nate is really disappointed," the statement read. "He really was looking forward to making his welterweight debut, and he plans to be back in there as soon as possible."
With Marquardt out, Story will now meet Charlie Brenneman on the card, and the heavyweight bout between Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo will now headline the event.
Brenneman was removed from the card earlier this week after his second scheduled opponent, T.J. Grant, was forced out of the event with an illness.
Penick's Analysis: This is a major, major blow to this card. It was a very good main event fight, and clearly the most important fight on the card, and now Marquardt's welterweight debut has been delayed. If it was an issue with his weight cut then he'll need to reconsider whether that's the right move, but regardless it's just a really unfortunate development here. I'm glad for Brenneman who is now getting a fight, but it's a major step up for him, and Story goes from taking a main event fight to being in one that doesn't have any upside for him and that could be dangerous on a day's notice. With Barry-Kongo now in the main event, the broadcast is going to suffer in the ratings. This is just not good news in any capacity.
UPDATE: Joe Rogan told the crowd at the weigh-ins that Marquardt failed a physical before the fight, though his management team says it is nothing serious.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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